Respect
by Jenn11
Summary: Since Donna told Rachel why she's never gone after a romance with Harvey, I decided to show why Harvey has never gone after a romance with Donna. And then I got the idea to let them get together…
1. Chapter 1

Respect

A/N: Since Donna told Rachel why she's never gone after a romance with Harvey, I decided to show why Harvey has never gone after a romance with Donna. And then I got the idea to let them get together… Hope you enjoy.

Having won a big case, Harvey and Mike were out drinking. Since it had been a hard case, Harvey was drinking more than usual. But he figured it was safe. He was with the Puppy, not Lewis or the other Partners.

Eventually he brought up a subject he'd been meaning to talk to Mike about. It seemed better to do it here, than at the office. "So, you and Rachel? You know the rules…"

"Yeah, I do. And we're just friends."

"I've seen how you look at her. And now that you've broken up with Jenny… Be careful," Harvey said.

"What about you and Donna?" Mike was drunk enough to ask.

"I just told you, there are rules."

"As if rules would stop the great Harvey Specter. Or Donna," Mike scoffed.

"You're right. It isn't because of the rules," Harvey admitted.

"Please don't tell me you haven't considered it…"

Harvey gave him The Look. "I have eyes and a pulse. Of course I've considered it."

"Then why?" Mike pressed.

"I prefer one night stands, or maybe a weekend if she's interesting. I respect Donna too much to treat her like a one night stand. She deserves better than that. And I value her far too much to through away more than a decade of friendship for a night or a weekend, not matter how great that weekend might be."

Mike nodded. He agreed that Donna wasn't a woman to be treated like a one night stand. "But one day you might want to settle down," he pointed out.

"If that day ever comes, Donna is the only one I can see it being with," Harvey admitted.

"What if she's found someone else by then?"

Harvey didn't know what to say. He didn't take Donna for granted, the authority, gifts, and perks he gave here were evidence of that. But he realized he'd taken for granted that she'd always be in his life. He didn't take her presence for granted, but he'd taken their future for granted.

"I'm done for tonight. See you Monday, Mike. And try not to be late…" Harvey said as he stood up and dropped some bills on the table.

"You didn't answer my question," Mike called after him.

The next day, once he'd recovered from his hangover, Mike's words kept echoing in Harvey's mind. 'What if she's found someone else by then?'

He knew Donna had dated guys on and off during the time they'd known each other, but none had ever seemed all that serious. He supposed that had given him a false sense of comfort. Her birthday was coming up in a few weeks. He decided he'd talk to her then. Mike was right that if Harvey and Donna wanted to be together the rules wouldn't stop them. Jessica liked them both enough that she'd look that other way – as long as they were discreet and their work didn't suffer.

On Monday morning no one was around when Harvey stopped at Donna's desk to get any messages. She handed him two. "Jessica isn't in yet," she informed him.

"Donna, let me take you out for your birthday?" he requested.

She looked at him for a moment, then smiled. "Okay," she agreed. "Want me to make the reservations?"

"It's your birthday. I will take care of the reservations. I am capable of doing that, you know," he teased.

"Hhmmm. We'll see," she teased back, still smiling.

He returned her smile before going into his office.

That afternoon he took a break and made reservations at Donna's favorite restaurant. He was pleased to see the Don Quixote would be playing. It was Donna's favorite ballet, and he reserved them a private box. Next he called a client who was on the Ballet's Board of Directors; for a donation to the Ballet, he arranged for him and Donna to go backstage after the performance and meet the dancers.

For Donna's actual present, he bought her a gift certificate for a spa he'd heard her mention to one of the other Assistants. He added a hand written note that it included a paid day off work for her to go to the spa.

A/N: If you guys like this, I'll do another chapter with her birthday…


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks to those who left such kind reviews, and thanks for adding this story to your Favorites/Alerts lists. Hope you like this second chapter. Very sorry it's taken so long to update.

Starts on her birthday, which I'm saying is a Friday – so they can 'enjoy' the weekend together ;-)

BIRTHDAY

A moment after Harvey knocked on the door it opened to reveal Donna in a beautiful teal colored silk dress.

He handed her a dozen roses, and said, "You look gorgeous. I'll be the envy of every man who sees us."

"Thank you, Harvey. You look good yourself. Come on in while I put these in water. It'll just take a minute," she invited, walking away from the door. Harvey was wearing the suit she'd once mentioned being her favorite.

"Happy Birthday, Miss Donna," Ray greeted a few minutes later as he held the car door for her.

"Thank you, Ray," she replied, smiling at him.

The ride passed in the usual small talk. Donna couldn't help but smile as Harvey handed her out of the car, and she saw they were at her favorite restaurant. "I guess you can make reservations…" she teased him as he led her inside.

"Told you," he replied. "And this is just dinner."

"And you aren't going to tell me what we're doing after dinner?"

"You'll love it. Trust me."

They were inside, so she paused and met his eyes. "I do trust you, Harvey."

The hostess approached, and when Harvey gave his name, she showed them to their table.

Dinner passed quickly, in pleasant conversation.

As they stood in front of the Ballet, Donna smiled. "Don Quixote."

"Your favorite, if I remember right."

"It is my favorite."

In the lobby they ran into Rachel.

"Rachel," Donna said, smiling at her friend.

"Donna, hi. Harvey."

"Hello, Rachel," he greeted.

Given the rumors about Danna and Harvey, Rachel couldn't help but ask, "What brings you guys to the ballet?"

"It's Donna's birthday."

"Happy Birthday!" Rachel said, and gave Donna a quick hug.

Louis had walked up in time to hear, and greeted Harvey, then turned to Donna. "Happy Birthday, Donna."

"Thank you, Louis."

They talked for a few more minutes, then went to their seats.

While they waited for the ballet to start, Harvey looked at Donna. "There's something I'd like to talk to you about later… in private."

"Your place? We can have some of that scotch you keep away from the office so you don't have to share it."

He nodded in agreement.

Once the ballet was over Donna almost groaned as a client approached them. "Thomas."

"Harvey," he responded as they shook hands.

"Happy Birthday, Donna."

"Thank you, Thomas. How did you know?"

"You didn't tell her?" the older man asked Harvey.

"Birthday surprise," Harvey responded. Looking at Donna he added, " Thomas was kind enough to arrange for us to go backstage and meet the dancers."

"How could I not, after your very generous donation," Thomas replied. "Shall we?"

The happy smile on Donna's face convinced Harvey the donation had been well worth it.

Half an hour later Donna and Harvey returned to the car, her carefully holding a Don Quixote poster signed by several dancers.

Once they arrived at Harvey's Donna set her poster on the table and walked to the glass wall to enjoy the view as Harvey poured them each a drink.

"Happy Birthday," he said as they toasted.

"What is it you wanted to talk to me about?" she asked after taking a sip.

"Have you ever thought about… us?" he asked, knowing she'd understand what he meant.

"Of course I have," she responded. "What brought this on after more than a decade?"

"Our puppy."

"Your puppy," she corrected. She wasn't truly surprised that Mike would be the one behind this.

"You care about him too," Harvey pointed out. With Donna there was no need for the façade that he didn't care. She knew batter.

"What did our puppy say?"

"He asked why I'd never seduced you." Seeing her look, he continued. "Not in those words, but it's what he meant. I told him that I prefer one night stands, and respected you too much to treat you as a one night stand. That I valued our relationship too much to throw it away for a weekend, not matter how great that weekend would be. He said something about if I ever wanted to settle down and I admitted you'd be the only one I'd ever consider that with. He asked, 'What if she's found someone else by then?'… I couldn't get it out of my mind."

"I'm not going to find someone else, Harvey," she softly admitted, then took another sip. "But if we do this, we can't ever go back…"

"Do you really think either of us would want to go back?" he asked.

She didn't answer his question, but said, "The issue was 'if you ever wanted to settle down'. That's in the future, Harvey. And only and 'if'. I'm not doing this because you suddenly got scared I wouldn't be there in the future. I told you, I'm not going to find someone else. I'll be here when you're ready."

"I'm not doing this because I'm scared. Mike's question made me admit I want a future with you. If this is something we both want, then why wait? As long as it's with you, I'm ready to settle down now. Tonight. No more one night stands. Just us."

"If this doesn't work out… I can't lose you, Harvey."

"You won't," he reassured her. "Do you want this to work?"

"Yes."

"So do I. And since when does something not work out if we both want it to?"

He took a sip, then set his glass on the table. He gently took Donna's and set it beside his. He stood behind her, his arms wrapped around her waist and his chin resting on her shoulder as they look out over the city.

"I know what's at stake – I can't lose you either; but I don't think it's that big a risk. Not when it's us," he tried to reassure her.

Donna shifted, and Harvey tightened his grip slightly until he realized she was just turning in his arms to face him. The look in her eyes was all the permission he needed lower his lips to hers. They were as soft as he'd imagined they'd be.

Donna wasn't disappointed. Far from it. The kiss was sweet and powerful and her knees went weak. Harvey felt like he was intoxicated, and not from the hint of alcohol that lingered from the scotch they had been drinking.

The kiss ended when they needed air, but almost immediately Donna leaned back in for another kiss. Harvey wasn't overbearing, but neither was he tentative. He took his time and kissed her more thoroughly as she'd ever been kissed in her life.

After a few more kisses she wrapped her legs around his waist and he carried her to the bedroom, neither wanting to lose the physical contact.

A long time later, Donna had fallen asleep, but Harvey was still awake. He felt more content and at peace than he could ever remember.

When the sunlight woke Donna, she felt warm and comfortable. Part of her didn't want to wake up, afraid the night before had been nothing more than a dream. She'd dreamed of Harvey often enough. Harvey had the same feeling moments later as he woke up. Each realized the other was awake, and shifted to face each other.

"Morning," she said softly.

"A very good morning, Donna," he said, then kissed her.

After a moment she pulled back. They settled back into the covers, content, for the moment, just to be close and hold each other. Eventually Donna spoke. "We were both right."

"We're us. Of course we were right. About what?"

"I was right that there is no going back from this. You were right that we wouldn't want to… At least I don't want to."

"Neither do I," he reassured her, placing a kiss on her forehead, as her head was resting on his shoulder.

She sat up a bit, and looked at him. "I need a shower. And I think you do too." The invitation in her tone and eyes was more than enough to have Harvey following her into the shower moments later.

Once they'd had a long, very enjoyable, shower, Donna dressed in some clothes she left at Harvey's for when they worked late or had a movie night, and made then pancakes for breakfast.

As they cleaned up, Harvey began a conversation he really didn't want to have, but that Donna deserved. "Do you know why those women never lasted more than a night or weekend?"

She stiffened, but answered, "No. why?"

"I compared them to you, and they were lacking. For years you've been the woman I've compared every other woman to – except Jessica, but she's… Jessica."

Donna nodded. Jessica was Harvey's mentor. It was a unique relationship for Harvey. But… "What about Scottie?"

"A friend with benefits. And the same reason she never became more than that – she wasn't you. Just like those other women weren't you. I thought you deserved to know. I thought it might help prove this isn't just for this weekend."

She moved closer, and held his gaze. "I know that, Harvey. I trust you. And I've basically done the same thing. All the guys I've met for that last dozen years, I compared to you. Like you said, they were lacking. Most of them bored me by the time dinner was over. You may drive me crazy some days, but you never bore me. And you've never, not ever, looked at me like a piece of meat the way many men do. And a couple guys who might have been serious, wanted me to quit working for you. They asked me to choose between them and you, and I chose you. I will always choose you."

Harvey reached out and took her hand, gently pulling her close, and hugged her.

They spent the rest of the weekend in Harvey's condo, both happier than they'd been in a long time.


End file.
